Science Rules! Or is it Rules for Science???

When you've educated your children at home for 25+ years (Oh my! Really- Has it been that long?), there comes a time to replace expensive textbooks with more modern, expensive textbooks. And I am happy to do so. Shopping for school supplies gives me a strange sort of rush. Probably what other women experience when they redecorate their homes. Can't explain it. I LOVE BOOKS! Today's excitement brought to you by: Apologia Young Explorers Science Curriculum. Immersion learning, Charlotte Mason style, is the focus; rather than the typical elementary science textbook which is more of a general science survey. The note booking journals and textbooks are loaded with experiments which really help young minds remember the concepts learned. And then, there is the notebooking aspect. All of the printables are in the notebook. No searching on the Internet for resources to supplement a dull textbook. I. LOVE. IT.

Last week's lesson - making lava lamps out of old bottles, oil, vinegar, Alka Seltzer, and food dye. What kids wouldn't love that mess?

I don't know about you, but smiling boys during school hours makes my day. And yes, we did discuss rules for science. Do NOT eat or sniff or otherwise consume the science projects. Not even if this week's pan of goo looks like marshmallow cream.

Non-Newtonian liquid or amorphous solid?

Or is it simply a huge mess that will clog the sink?

Comments

Wanderlust

Wouldn't it be fabulous if home educators could receive the same tax payer funding as the public school system? With that kind of money per child, we could go to Egypt, Greece, and Rome while studying Ancient Civilizations. Since it was always more of a daydream than a possibility, we visited those places in our imagination with the help of living books (lots and lots of books) and internet resources. It definitely spurred a wanderlust in all of my children. I think they also an inherited the travel gene from my Dad's side of the family. As a teenager, his father took an unexpected journey as a stowaway on a slow boat to China (literally), which in a VERY roundabout way led to a career in Aruba, where my father was born. As an adult, my dad joined the military and raised his family across the USA, with 4 year stint in Okinawa. Last count I had attended 16 different schools before finishing high school. Don't ask me to recreate that count. My memory isn't what it u...

Drug Problems?

Hat tip to Wanda!

Waldorf What?

When the link to Homeschooling on a Shoestring was published , there was some discussion about the overview of teaching styles. A friend of mine, who happens to be a very talented artist, was curious about the Waldorf Style. We hadn't heard of it before, at least not under this label. According to the post, it is a teaching style that integrates head, heart and hands. It involves art, faith and lots of hands on activities. While there are many elements of Waldorf philosophy that are not compatible with our Classically Catholic teaching style, we have occasionally borrowed ideas to make our curriculum more colorful and whimsical. Follow this link to Serendipity for free downloads of creative lesson plans and charming stories about fairies and gnomes that will make language arts and math the favorite subjects of the day. Since the author is all about keeping it Catholic, you will also find stories of the saints beautifully woven into the presentations. I imagine our summer will b...

Classically Catholic

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